Young volunteers celebrate day of service at York sites

United Way of York County will participate in the 25th annual Global Youth Service Day, a volunteer effort dedicated to engaging youngsters from 5 to 25.

About 75 local volunteers will set out on Saturday to clean up Penn Park and the Hope Street Garden and Learning Lab.

The Penn Park project, from 9 a.m. to noon, will involve weeding, gardening and other cleanup. Volunteers at the Hope Street Garden, an outdoor learning center, will put together compost piles, plant flowers and build a greenhouse from 1 to 5 p.m.

Once all tasks are finished, volunteers will set out on a photo scavenger hunt.

Volunteer projects like this, no matter how small, have a positive impact, said Kristen Clineburg, youth volunteer initiatives coordinator.

"Any service that is done helps in one way or another," she said. "It gets more people out in the community."

Although the event is stocked with volunteers, the Hope Street Garden is still in need of new plants.

Those interested in making a plant donation -- potted or seeds -- may call Clineburg at 717-771-3823 or email clineburgk@unitedway-york.org. To get involved in future United Way projects in the county, visit www.unitedway-york.org and click on "Volunteer Action Center."